If Thursday night's game didn't sum it up, I don't know what will; the Islanders are exceeding expectations. The fact that surprise star Matt Moulson recorded his first professional hat trick, with his father in attendance, only solidifies the fact that the Islanders didn't need to go out and break the bank to put an improved, competitive, and entertaining team on the ice. So it was no surprise after 3 embarrassing loses by the Rangers last week that this piece was written by Post blogger Justin Terranova: Islanders outplaying Rangers.

After Thursday nights win the Isles are now sitting 8th in the Eastern Conference and 3rd in the Atlantic Division, ahead of the slumping Rangers and Flyers, who recently fired their head coach and now have their eyes set on obtaining former Islanders head coach Peter Laviolette. Both teams, more notable the Rangers, spent the off season throwing their excess money around to big name free agents. One of which for the Rangers is the only one really producing.

So while some of our hatedrivals went shopping like 17 year old teenage girl with daddy's credit card, the Garth Snow spent his time singing key and affordable players needed to help the Isles in the rebuild.

Even though we were left scratching our heads after the signing of players little known players Scott Monroe and Matt Who?Moulson, Garth got really lucky by how well Moulson turned outKnew what he was doing. The story is now a league wide success story of the little engine that could. Moulson who struggled his whole career has now found his mojo on the Island along side good buddy John Tavares. Justin Terranova described his play as follows:"He has a knack for situating himself in front of the net looking for garbage goals, something this team has lacked since Mark Parrish was traded to Los Angeles."I guess the Moulson deal was Los Angeles's way of thanking us for Mark, who's stats plummeted after joining the Kings, jokes on them.

Along with Moulson their is the unstoppable Dwayne Roloson, who has been superb this year. Roloson, who made a career high 58 saves in Toronto, has really solidified his spot as the number 1 starter over Biron unitll Rick Dipietro comes back. While Biron and Rolie have similar numbers, the team itself seems to have more confidence in their play when Rolie is in net than Biron, giving Rolie more "run support".

Coming back around to old Ricky, he should be back with Islanders in the coming weeks. Rick makes his 2009-2010 with the Sound Tigers tonight at the Arena at Harbor Yard. He will play a rehab stint in his old stomping grounds to slowly ease him in and Islanders brass says he could be up by mid-December.

You of course can not forget about the play John Tavares who has also had an quick impact on the team, while also leading all rookies in scoring. Mix that with the outstanding two way play of Olympic hopeful, Kyle Okposo, who landed himself on sports center's top ten plays list at the beginning of the season. Also being one of the teams top penalty killers. Times that with the potent play of the Islanders fourth line who plays ever shift and is able to re-energize the teams play if things start geting rough.

"but the pieces are coming together quicker than most expected and they will contend for a playoff spot this season." That's right, a Post writer says WE WILL contend for a playoff spot. We truly are an Island of surprises

The Islanders set off on their four game road trip tonight. First stop, Atlanta. With their fathers/mentors along for the ride, it should make for a memorable road trip.

The Islanders thrashed Atlant on Novemer 7 when they visited the Coliseum. "They were like rats on cheese with the puck," Thrashers coach John Andersen told Newsday. "We couldn't get near it." While Atlanta was missing star foward Ilya Kovalchuk, Andersen did not use that as an excuse for the November 7 perfomance.

The lineup should remain similar to the one from Saturday, with Blake Comeaubeing the defffinite scratch and logic would say Roloson will get the start tonight.

Asfar as Nielson or Schremp getting into the lineup it will be a game time decisionby head coach scott gordon."I was sore the first couple of days, but I made big steps the next few days," Nielson told Newsday."I feel like I can play."

Not as dramatic as the title may sound, but in a sort ironic twist of fate that's what it almost seems like. If you've attended a game this year you'll notice that the once "gloriously unsponsored" Nassau Coliseum as Dominik from Lighthouse Hockey puts it seems to have sponsored up.

Where Lighthouse, Islanders and Dragon banners once stood have now been replaced by a giant advertisement for Verizon Fios. While those banners still hang on the Coliseum, the move by (who ever is in charge of that) to turn the outside of the coliseum into a giant billboard for Fios seems kind of funny.

Cablevision, Fios's biggest competitor, has really been giving the Islanders the short end of the stick in the way of HD availability and the way the company owned newspaper, Newsday covers the team. Especially since Cablevision owns the Knicks and the rival, New York Rangers; talk about coincidence. Is this Charles Wangs way of giving the finger to Dolan and his media empire, by advertising for their competitor. And if we are real Islanders fans should we cancel our IO packages and sign up for Fios right away?

Probably not, on both accounts. The placing of Verzion adds is probably a way of helping pay the bills, providing needed money to the Coliseum owners or Islanders owner and not some plan to strike at Cablevison.

It's always fun to speculate though, the coincedental timing of this couldnt have better though.

SIDE-NOTE:I will continue to update the site as often as possible even though as you all may or may not know my laptop died sunday November 22.

Along with Martin Biron who will get the start tonight against his former team. “This is not a regular game,” Biron told Islanders Point Blank. “It’s special.”

Franchise goalie Rick Dipietro participated in his first full practice yesterday, here is what he had to say afterwords:

Finally, sorry to all the readers for not updating the site this week. My laptop crashed sunday and I have not been able to get it fixed. So now that i have acces to another computer I hope to have more pieces up.

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